Abstract


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 <h1>Abstract</h1>
 Andaman & Nicobar islands, the largerst archipelago system consisting of 306 islands, and more than 300 islets and one of the hotspot of biodiversity was surveyed for bamboos. Extensive collection of specimens was made from of both Andaman & Nicobar group of islands. Eight species of bamboos belonging to five genera are known to occur In Andaman & Nicobar islands alone. Five species viz. Dinochloa nicobariana, Pseudobambusa kurzii, Schizostachyum andamanicum, S. kalpongianum, and S. rogersii are endemic to these islands. Recent report on the occurrence of Dendrocalamus calostachys, Schizostachyum dulloa and S. polymorphum   from the wild is to be re-examined. Probably the said species might have been recently introduced to the Island and cultivated. Description of all the naturally occurring bamboos in Andaman and Nicobar Island is made as part of the study. The illustrations are provided for the newly described species and critical comments or notes are priovided.
Planting stock of 25 commercial species of bamboos listed below belonging to 10 genera was produced using macro and micro-propagation techniques: 1. Bambusa balcooa, 2. B. bambos, 3.  B. nutans, 4. B. polymorpha 5. B. striata,  6. B. tulda,  7. B. vulgaris, 8. B. wamin,  9. Dendrocalamus asper, 10. D. brandisii, 11. D. giganteus, 12. D. hamiltoni, 13. D. longispathus, 14. D. sikkimensis, 15. D. strictus, 16.Gigantochloa atroviolacea, 17. Gigantochloa rostrata, 18. Guadua angustifolia, 19. Melocanna bambusoides, 20. Ochlandra scriptoria, 21. O. travancorica, 22. O. travancorica var.hirsuta, 23. Oxytenanthera stocksii  24. Thyrsostachys oliveri and 25. Teinostachyum dullooa. 
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The propagules were produced in the Institute nurseries. Seedlings of Bambusa bambos, B. tulda, Dendrocalamus hamiltonii, D. strictus, Melocanna bambusoides, Ochlandra travancorica and O. scriptoria were raised in nursery beds and potted in polythene bags. Macro-proliferation of seedlings of Bambusa tulda previously raised in the nursery was carried out by splitting the rhizome portion bearing two or more shoots.  Vegetative propagation of Bambusa balcooa, B. vulgaris (green), B. vulgaris var striata (yellow), Dendrocalamus brandisii,  D. giganteus,  D. longispathus, D. stocksii, D. sikkimensis, Gigantochloa atroviolacea, and Thyrsostachys oliveri was done by treating culm cuttings with growth regulators viz. naphthalene acetic acid (NAA) and indole butyric acid (IBA).  The proliferation capacity was about 2.5 times (1000 seedlings to 2500 propagules). A total of 83,570 propagules were produced of which 24,336 plants were supplied to farmers, voluntary organisations, schools and Government Departments for different types of planting activities such as boundary or block planting, strip planting on river banks and bio-shield in coastal areas, landscaping, establishment of bambusetum, explants for tissue culture laboratories etc. The remaining planting stock is maintained in the nurseries at FRC, Velupadam and KFRI Campus, Peechi.  Macro-proliferation is continued and the planting stock is being distributed on demand.
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